Google just made some big changes to its policies regarding sexual misconduct

Google changed some policies on sexual misconduct after thousands of employees walked out of their offices last week to protest big payouts for executives accused of harassment and other misbehavior.

The Alphabet Inc. unit is making arbitration optional for individual sexual harassment and sexual assault claims. It pledged to provide more information to staff about such investigations and the outcomes, and expand mandatory training on the issue.

"Going forward, we will provide more transparency on how we handle concerns," Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a public message to employees on Thursday. "We'll give better support and care to the people who raise them. And we will double down on our commitment to be a representative, equitable, and respectful workplace."